*Rant rant rant.*

Indeed, too much scholarly babbling, and too little practical advice.

The original question was how to get into Blackmoor without much addo.
What about answering the original question in an intelligible and transparent fashion?

Here's my try:

1. Imagine the feel of Blackmoor as a mix between "The Lord of the Rings" and the "Gor" series.
2. For stuff that best enhances your game, check the d20 line.
3. For stuff that gives you extended background info, check the older stuff.
4. Be aware that Blackmoor is a sandbox setting - you are supposed to fill the gaps on your own.
5. Furthermore, if you look for stuff to run by other publishers, check either material from the company called Judges Guild,
or for the old MERP system - you will have to adapt them here and there, but overall they should blend in nicely.



A similar answer from you, Sirs!

GNOMES!

So I didn't notice them at first (mostly because I was looking through the 4E stuff). Blackmoor gnomes are "Tinker Gnomes" ? That sound right?

Also, to go along with this question, it appears that Dwarves are also tinkerers and steam engineers. I noticed that dwarves right away "being into science". So Dwarves are also "Tinker Gnomes"? Which of the two races are more successful at this stuff? Are all dwarves into science or just some of them? Sounds like gnomes are pretty deep into it.

Thanks.

Tinker gnomes like in Dragonlance, no.

Think more in terms of Wilderlands gnomes, ifyaknowwhatimean. Hobbits without the hairy feet, so to speak.

Also useful for this could be the way the "Kingdoms of Kalamar" setting treats gnomes.
If I wanted to insert gnomes into my campaign, I would use that model, I think.

Thanks for the information guys. That clears up a lot.

My new problem is one of my players just had his work schedule switched. Ugh. At least I did manage to finish up the Dark Sun campaign I was running last weekend he was in. We have lots of players in my neck of the woods but hard to get them pinned down to games still. I am going to keep reading on Blackmoor materials but I think this is going to delay my campaign. :( Some of us in the game group actually play every weekend. But some of the players are only interested in twice a month. So it is a shuffling game to be certain. I am sure I will have more Blackmoor questions however. :) Hopefully I can get the campaign going.

Let us know how it goes! :)

-Havard